This invention relates to a system for the treatment of developmental verbal apraxia, and more particularly, to a therapy kit and process for the treatment of development verbal apraxia.
Verbal apraxia is a central neurological speech disorder that affects the oral articulatory musculature. A child having this disorder is unfortunately unable to organize his or her oral muscles in order to produce speech sounds in isolationxe2x80x94to sequence speech sounds (consonants and vowels in words), and finally to sequence the words into sentences.
The therapy process of the invention was developed in order to treat children exhibiting developmental verbal apraxia who have begun to use single words, but are unable to sequence the various consonants found in bi-syllabic or multi-syllabic words. Children exhibiting verbal apraxia often present a tendency to simplify words by using the same consonants in bi-syllabic or multi-syllabic words, rather than correctly using different consonants.
Generally speaking, in accordance with the invention, a system or kit for treating developmental verbal apraxia is provided. The system or kit includes a plurality of picture cards in which each card identifies in written, spelled-out form a selected multi-syllabic word for describing an activity, item or thing with a corresponding drawing or picture which illustrates the activity, item or thing. In addition, each card also includes, in written, spelled-out form, a series of single syllabic words in written, spelled-out form, each word describing an activity, item or thing. Associated with each single syllabic word is preferably a drawing or picture which illustrates the activity, item or thing.
In accordance with the invention, each single syllabic words has a sound which, when taken together with the other single syllabic words written on the card, facilitates sounding out the multi-syllabic word.
Alternatively, instead of a single picture card for identifying the selected multi-syllabic word as well as the series of single syllabic words for sounding out the multi-syllabic word, there can be provided a single card for identifying the single syllabic word, and a separate series of associated cards which identify the single syllabic words that, when combined, enables one to sound out the multi-syllabic word.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a system or kit that is suitable for treating developmental verbal apraxia.
Another object of the invention is to provide a system or kit for the treatment of developmental verbal apraxia which utilizes one or more picture cards.
A further object of the invention is to provide a system or kit for the treatment of developmental verbal apraxia which utilizes colorful picture cards for breaking down, pictorially, a multi-syllabic word into a series of single syllabic words.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious, and will in part be apparent from the following description.